Apparatus for forming molten metal into ingots



5 Sheets-SheeL 2.

1 G. WBB. Apparatus for Forming Molten Metal into Ingot, SLG.

No. 223,561. Patented 1an.13,1880.

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5 Sheets-#Sheet 3.

G. WEBB. l Apparatus for Forming Molten Metal into Ingot, 8m..

Patented 1an.`13, 1880.

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' Gr.. WEBB. Apparatus for Forming Molten Metal into Ingot, 840

Patentedlanr. 13, 1880.

5 sheets-Sheen 5.

Gr. WEBB.

Apparatus for Forming Molten Metal intoy Ingot, 81o.

No. 223,561. Pa1ented1an.13,1sso.

ESSES;

NA PErEs, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D. c,

y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WEBB, 0E JOHNsTowN, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR FORM|NG-MOLTEN METAL INTO INGOTS, SLC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,561, dated January 13, 1880.

Application filed-July 25, 1879.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WEEE, of Johnstown, Cambria county, in the State of Pennsylvania, vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements relating to Apparatus for Forming Molten Metal into ln gots or oth er Castings, of which the following is a specification.

I subject the melted steel to strong compression, which is rapidly applied and maintained until the metal has set. I have devised a system for conveniently and effectively operating on quantities made in the large way in modern practice.

My invention is intended to overcome the difficulties and to adapt the work to successful and economical manufacture on a large scale, with repetitions rapidly conducted and continued indefinite.

I employ gas-discharging sectional in got` molds, which are or may be used repeatedly without any preparation beyond a thin wash. The molds are rapidly filled with liquid metal. They are in long narrow sections strongly united. Provision exists for the escape of gases from all the join ts. A great pressure is applied and maintained on the limpid metal immediately after it is poured, and all the movements may be effected easily at the right periods. Large charges may be disposed of with rapidity, and the charges may succeed each other indefinitely.

Iemploy hydraulic pressurein a form of mech anism very powerfully working and adapted for treating a single ingot at a time by one press. I can use a number of presses together.

Hydraulic presses and accompanying mechanism for receiving and holding the ingotmolds are arranged in lines with railway-tracks between. Suitable cars, moved by hand or otherwise, onv one track carry large ladles of melted steel and supply two molds at once. Ready means move each mold into place and give it pressure. Cars on another track carry the ingot-molds with their contents away, aud bring empty molds to be placed in position and receive the melted material. Each series or row of presses should be of sufficient length to allow an ingot-mold to be lled while another place in the series is being supplied with a fresh mold and another place is having the filled mold taken away with its contents sufficiently cooled to retain its condition, and each s press holds the metal under strong pressure The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view representing the general arrangement'of the parts. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the entire arrangement. Fig. 3 is a vertical. section through one of the ingot-molds and the associated parts on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a plan of the same.

Fig 5 is a vertical section of the press with an ingot-mold in position. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on a larger scale. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the several straight railways with the crane which carries the ladles thereto. The crane with its load is raised and lowered as required by the ordinary hydraulic power. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modification, in which a sernieircular railway with two lifts takes the place of the crane indicated in Figs. l and 7. p

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the igures. l

. A A2, &c.,are the sections of au iugot-niold of cast-iron,adapted,when applied together, to I` present a smooth and cylindrical exterior and a smooth cavity of uniform rectangularsection on the interior, which cavity receives the melted steel and forms the ingot. The surfaces of the ingot-mold A A2, which abut together, are marked a. They are accurately fitted together, but instead of being absolutely smooth are left with line scores running across their surfaces, such as result from filing with a coarse file.

The sections A A2, &c., are held together by clamps BHBZ, which are provided in sufficient numbers, and with peculiar locking pieces or gibs D' D2, and embrace the ingot-mold at short distances apart along its length.

On sufficiently raising themast G and the connected clamps and ingot-molds and their contents, the whole may be swung around clear of the bed to allow the ingot-mold to be moved into the proper position to receive its charge of melted steel, and to be moved back into the IOO ure on the plunger of the second press.

central position under the press to receive the compressive strain.

Z is a second gib, employed in each press to aid in removing the filled molds after the cornpression and in introducing empty ones.

The peculiarities of the ingot-inolds and their immediate attachments are made the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent.

I employ a press which is compound, using, in effect, two hydraulic presses, one of which `receives the steam, water, or other fluid from a boiler, accumulator, or other source, and by the motion of its plunger induces a greater pressure in another mass of tluid, which acts in a second cylinder to apply a still greater pivelssis latter plunger acts on the steel in the ingot.

The peculiarities of my compound hydraulic press are made the subject-matter of a separate application for Letters Patent. v

When the pressure has been maintained for a sufficient time the steam or other iuid under pressure is shut off from the cylinder G, and the liuid above the'piston g is allowed to escape by any suitable device. (Not represented.) Then both the pistons g h and their connectiens are raised and the ingotis relieved from pressure.

To remove the mold with the solidified in got, the locking-pieces D2 1)' are removed, the clamps B' B2 thrown open, and the sectional mold A' A2 and its contents will be seized by properly-shaped tongs, (not represented,) which are adapted for the purpose, and may hang from a traveler moving on a straight or curved or a swinging overhead way. Z represents a mast or upright shaft for a swinging way for this purpose. The sectional mold A' A2 and its contents, are thus brought to and desposited on a car, R', on a track, It, which track islocated on the opposite side of the press from where the melted metal was poured into the mold.

After release from the clamps B' B2 the sections ofthe mold maybe held together by slight bands, (not represented,)which bands are afterward to be removed when the car and its load f have been hauled away a convenient distance.

The fresh mold is to be held 'together by the same small bands and brought in by the same route and appliances by which the filled molds are removed, and thus delivered to the clamps The ingot on being` liberated from the sectional mold is ready to be further treated by rolling or hammering, either at the same or a subsequent heat, to induce the desired form of a steel rail or other article, while the sections A' A2 of the mold may be treated with water and partially or entirely cooled, ready to be returned to the position for use, fresh sets of sectional. molds being used in the interim.

A mast, N, with an arm, N', and provisions for being raised and lowered, is favorably located for presenting the ladle at will to either of the converters M M, to receive the charge of melted steel, and also for transferring it to either of the cars J' on the two tracks J.

A car, J', moves on each of the tracks J, carrying a ladle, which' is at each return lilled from one of the converters M, and as eachcar is moved step by step along its track it is stopped at the proper points, and tapped at two places to supply the proper quantity t0 each ingot-mold, which latter is, by the lifting and turning ot' the proper mast C C', presented in the proper position to receive it, and on being filled is promptly returned to its position under the press, and its contents subjected to the required pressure and held so.

A car, It', moves back and forward on each of the tracks R, bringing fresh ingot-molds and placing them in position, returning loaded with the lilled molds previously allowed to cool under pressure to a point below that at which pipin gs form, to be taken care of at a distant point. (Not represented.)

It is theoretically possible to move the ladle and its supporting-car J to a greater distance than above provided at each interval between the pourings, and to so arrange and turn the several masts C C' that four ingot-molds instead of two shall be presented at once, and receive their supply of melted steel simultaneously. In such case two molds will be swung outward from the tier of pressses and theiraccompanying mechanisms on the right side of the car J', and two will be swung out on the left side of the same car; but I esteem it preferable on the whole to attempt to lill Ybut two ingot-molds at a time, swinging one from the right and one from the left, and then rapidly shifting the position of the ladle to the next pair of presses, and so on.

R2 is a cross-track, which may, by the use of ordinary turn-tables, or by such with lifts at the junction, serve to transfer any car from one to another of the main tracks J and It.

Instead of Bessemer converters, I can use open hearths, crucibles, or any suitable mode ot' producing the melted steel.

l lprefer for steel rails to make the ingots about seven inches square, and of a length from four to six feetsufficient to serve for only one rail, with a minimum wastage at the ends.

I believe it practicable in many cases to transfer metal from the open hearth or other metal-supply M to the ladle by a simple spout made in the usual manner with a non-conducting lining of fire-brick or the like. Such spout may bexheated before pouring a charge, if required. With some means of supplying the melted metal, and especially when a Bessemer converter is used for each metal-supply source M, there is a great change of level of the supply-point as -the ladle is lled. In such` case simple means may be provided for correspondingly changing the inclination of the spout.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of a molten-metal supply with a press, a ladle, and a ladle-carrier,

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arranged to move the ladle between the supply and the press, a mold, and an independent or separate gib, adapt-ed to hold the mold in two different positions for pouring and pressing, and to transfer it from one position to the other, substantially as shown and described.

2. The eombination and arrangement of three lines of railway, J R R, two lines of presses, g g', and a source of molten metal, M, as and for the purposes herein specified.

3. The combination and arrangement of duplicate sets of apparatus, each set composed of three lines of railway, J R R, and two lines of presses, g g', with one or more sources of molten-metal supply, M,and with means, N 15 GEO. WEBB.

Witnesses A. MONTGOMERY, DAVID MCABEE. 

